US 12,217,924 B2
Heat controlled switch
Yu-Wei Ting, Taipei (TW); Kuo-Pin Chang, Hsinchu (TW); Hung-Ju Li, Hsinchu (TW); and Kuo-Ching Huang, Hsinchu (TW)
Assigned to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on Jun. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/834,944.
Prior Publication US 2023/0402241 A1, Dec. 14, 2023
Int. Cl. H10N 10/85 (2023.01); H01H 37/12 (2006.01); H01H 37/32 (2006.01)
CPC H01H 37/12 (2013.01) [H01H 37/32 (2013.01); H10N 10/85 (2023.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A semiconductor device, comprising:
a semiconductor substrate;
a heater element on the semiconductor substrate, the heater element configured to generate heat in response to a current flowing therethrough;
a conductor material having a programmable conductivity; and
an insulator layer between the heater element and the conductor material,
wherein the conductor material is configured to be programmed by applying one or more voltage differences to one or more of the heater element and the conductor material, and
wherein a capacitance between the conductor material and the heater element is configured to be controlled by the voltage differences such that the capacitance is lower while the conductor material is being programmed than while the conductor material is not being programmed.